Distance learning consortium shares ideas, resources

Participating institutions work with ETV to share information and to secure reduced rates for some Public Broadcast System satellite programming, said Kathleen Olivieri, coordinator of distance learning at Mississippi State.

"Through teleconferences, students who are unable to travel to a campus can study independently by watching the programming and using print materials at home," Olivieri said. Students receive guidance from a course instructor through a variety of techniques.

University members of the Mississippi Distance Instructional Services Consortium (M-DISC) are Delta State, Jackson State, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi State, the University of Mississippi, and the University of Southern Mississippi. Community college members are Coahoma, Copiah-Lincoln, East Central, Hinds, Itawamba, Meridian, and Mississippi Gulf Coast. All public post-secondary institutions were invited to join, said Olivieri, consortium president.

"Mississippi Educational Television serves as consortium co-chair and is providing to member institutions a portion of the membership fee for the Public Broadcasting System's Adult Learning Satellite Services," Olivieri said.

The schools can take advantage of PBS adult learning satellite programming at reduced rates. Current PBS telecourses available through Mississippi ETV include “The Sociological Imagination” and “Art of the Western World.” Others will be offered in the fall.

For more information about the consortium, call Olivieri at 325-2634.